August 20, 2009

Plenty of people have posted their crosswords over in the Today's Puzzles forum, but now there's a brand-new forum called Island of Lost Puzzles expressly for this purpose.

Nearly every constructor has some puzzles that aren't going to be published for whatever reason. Maybe it's got a rebus, Will Shortz doesn't want it, and nobody else runs rebus themes. Maybe it's too topical for the tortoise-speed print publication process. Maybe it's terrific but a nearly identical theme just appeared in the newspaper. Maybe the fill is terrific except for that ENEMA near the bottom. Maybe the theme hinges on knowing the names of the characters on Mad Men, so a small segment of the solving population will adore it but everyone else will just be confused.

If you think your unpublishable baby is a decent puzzle and deserves an audience (but alas, no paycheck), go right ahead and share it on the Island of Lost Puzzles.

(Thanks to Crosscan for suggesting the name and to Alex for asking that I set up the special section of the forum.)